The Jewish Federation of Ottawa surveyed Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) Trustee candidates ahead of the October 26 municipal election.
While Federation only collected results from OCDSB, the Jewish Parents of Ottawa Students Association (JPOSA) sent survey questions to the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB), Conseil des écoles publiques de l'est de l'Ontario (CEPEO), and Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE). To view those results, please visit JPOSA.
Federation also shared its Elections Issues Guide, educating and giving important context to all candidates on the concerns of Jewish Ottawans, including statistics on Ottawa’s antisemitic hate crimes.
Candidates' questionnaire responses have been reproduced in full. In some cases, candidates wrote their thoughts in an email without directly addressing the questions. Where there is a public record for the candidate on issues of interest to the Jewish community, we have endeavoured to include them, with sources. Where no responses were received, and in the absence of public statements, we have simply included the candidate’s website and contact info.
The questions are as follows:
Question 1: How would you ensure that Jewish parents and community organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, are meaningfully consulted about antisemitism and the experiences of Jewish students in our schools?
Question 2: What steps would you support to strengthen education about antisemitism and Jewish culture for trustees, staff and students, guided by the provincially adopted IHRA working definition of antisemitism?
Question 3: How will you ensure no policies or actions of the school board, including teacher activity, contradict that definition (e.g. by delegitimizing Israel)?
Question 4: How can the board follow the provincial mandate to reduce divisive geopolitical activism in our schools?
The survey results are organized by zone, which are determined by ward. To find your ward, click here, then check here to see what school board zone is responsible for your ward. Click on your zone below to view your candidates' replies, along with their contact details and links to their full platforms, if available.